360 reviews by:

laurathebookhermit

challenging dark emotional funny hopeful informative reflective tense

Thank you to the publisher and Net Galley for access to the audio of this title. 
This is a dual pov story following Jamie, a 19 year old, and his single parent. The dual pov was a great choice as both characters were struggling with their own situations in very relatable ways. It really shows some of the very real struggles of life in small towns in modern times. If I'm totally honest... I applied for this title because of the name of the book being the same as my name on social media. I went in pretty blind with this other than the clues on the cover. I would recommend not going in too blind though, as there's a couple of content warnings. This is a book that will both break your heart and mend it again... it is overall a story of hope, what family means, and navigating life's  challenges. It's completely enthralling and such a powerful read. 
The audio for this is fantastic and I love that the narrator's (the author themself and Scarlett Mack) both has Scottish accents which is true to the characters and location. Honestly, both read really well for this and I would definitely recommend the audio specifically. There's so much feeling and emotion that you feel throughout and it's written so well. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more from this author. 
This book is great for readers that are looking for something that will be emotionally challenging but ultimately hopeful. Readers that are looking for a story that shows real life challenges in a fictional format. I am finding this section of my review challenging as I want to tell you that everyone should read this! 


Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for access to Audio copy of this title.
This is the perfect cosy fantasy! the location (UK), mythological characters, witchiness, and strong characters with unlikely friendships and found family vibes are just scratching the surface of this one. This is what I had hoped Emily Wilde's would have been. It was refreshing to read something that didn't HAVE to have a romantic love interest. The relationships were deep and nuanced, and had interesting conversations about things like - if revenge is ever justified; the effect of fear on perceptions of people; what makes a person bad, "all the way bad" versus "just a little bit bad"; and how bad decisions can seem to be the right thing in the moment.
There was a couple of dips in the story when I felt less invested, but them moments were still beautifully written. 
As for the audio itself... The voice actor was well chosen and I enjoyed the audio. 
I would recommend this to readers that enjoy mythological characters, found family vibes, characters with depth and an unpredictable plot. 

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an e-arc of this title.
I am trying to write this almost half an hour after I finished reading and I am still a little speechless. This was read in one sitting and I now NEED the next book to come out... right the chuff now! This was the perfect blend of mystery, fun, social commentary, sweet relationships, some not so sweet relationships, funny moments, grief, and honestly some moments where I didn't realise I wasn't there watching all this stuff unfold before my eyes. I've never actually been emotionally invested in a mystery the way I was with this. 
I always try to end my reviews with who I would think this book would work for... I can't do that here... EVERYONE NEEDS TO READ THIS!!!!!!